I love IKEA. I make no apologies for it. Yes, it is cheap, but that is precisely the reason I get such a rush going through their store room. To think an entire room can be decorated for such a low price, it is truly phenomenal. Some of us may go through times where it is beneath us and we decide we need to get "Grown-up" furniture, IKEA was just soooo college. But not my college room. I wish my college room had been IKEA, then maybe I could affored Pottery Barn today.
But here is the one drawback, everyone LOVES IKEA. And when you furnish your house completely in IKEA, everyone knows where you got it and they always want you to know they know. "Oh, the Billy Bookcase from IKEA." or "Ahh yes, we saw this kitchen island at IKEA too." or "You got this at IKEA didn't you" Those comments keep me from purchasing more items from that glorious place. Perhaps it is me and the complete fear I have a showing up at a party dressed in the same outfit as another person, but I feel like when people come to your home and point out all your IKEA purchases it is the interior decorating equivalent. And truth be told, I find it to be quite rude.
But, I can no longer be held back by what I perceive to be the bad manners of house guests. Prices in Europe are too high and if I want to buy anything "French" then most of what I buy must be cheap scandinavian. So I simply ask, when you visit and we show you around the house, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, don't point out all our IKEA furniture. You have some too and let's be honest, you love it!
(For those planning an upcoming visit, the IKEA is located near an outlet mall between Paris and the airport there you will find well priced clothing and some of the most adorable shoes I have seen at the most reasonable prices yet!)
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Move-In Day
Move-in day is over. Thanks to a sister from our ward who has been living abroad for 31 years and offered a helping hand in keeping our baby occupied, we were able to get almost everything unpacked and settled by the end of the day. All our boxes and furniture entered the house through an outside elevator. Nothing was strapped in, pedestrians on the street had no issues walking underneath, and Nate and I couldn't help but wonder how many federal health and safety violations this endeavor was breaking. But truth be told, I think Dan and Von would be a lot happier over the several times they have helped move our furniture if they could have done it this way.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Finally
We moved into our place today, it is really something! In lieu of pictures, just note that the neighbors across the hall have a uniformed maid.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Surviving the Louvre
Anyone who has been there will attest the following:
1. Viewing the Mona Lisa is anti-climatic, you don't really care what is behind that smile, mostly because you won't get closer than 10 yards.
2. The enormous scale of the structure is overwhelming.
3. So what? If you haven't been studying ancient greece, egypt or the italian renaissance you will unlikely be compelled to stop at one painting for reflection.
What I can tell you having been there with a child in a stroller:
1. Tourists, not Parisians, are the true bane of of life in this city. They are rude, rude, rude.
2. The American Disabilities Act is a blessing, or you may find yourself walking backwards up several flights of marble staircases, and the tourists won't offer you a hand.
3. Rick Steves, though often a fantastic resource, becomes evermore annoying when he makes the following comment about the Venus de Milo in his guide book after you just dragged the stroller (and a very displeased child) up the stairs, "What were her arms doing? I say she was picking her navel."
4. A child who cannot yet walk CAN be a thief, so check what she is holding before you exit a bookstore in one of the most secure buildings in the world.
5. After a day of feeling overwhelmed by what you attempted, and underwhelmed by the art you experienced, the pyramid and the courtesy ride in an open-air elevator located in the exact center of the structure is a beautiful sight, and possibly the only thing you can take a picture of.
So, after all this what will I do now?
1. Study, study, study...and ask the all important question, "Why is this significant"
2. Break it down by wing and floor
3. Go at night (it is open until 9:45 on Wednesday and Fridays) and in the colder months to avoid the obnoxious tourists
4. Talk Nate into taking care of the baby when I go!
1. Viewing the Mona Lisa is anti-climatic, you don't really care what is behind that smile, mostly because you won't get closer than 10 yards.
2. The enormous scale of the structure is overwhelming.
3. So what? If you haven't been studying ancient greece, egypt or the italian renaissance you will unlikely be compelled to stop at one painting for reflection.
What I can tell you having been there with a child in a stroller:
1. Tourists, not Parisians, are the true bane of of life in this city. They are rude, rude, rude.
2. The American Disabilities Act is a blessing, or you may find yourself walking backwards up several flights of marble staircases, and the tourists won't offer you a hand.
3. Rick Steves, though often a fantastic resource, becomes evermore annoying when he makes the following comment about the Venus de Milo in his guide book after you just dragged the stroller (and a very displeased child) up the stairs, "What were her arms doing? I say she was picking her navel."
4. A child who cannot yet walk CAN be a thief, so check what she is holding before you exit a bookstore in one of the most secure buildings in the world.
5. After a day of feeling overwhelmed by what you attempted, and underwhelmed by the art you experienced, the pyramid and the courtesy ride in an open-air elevator located in the exact center of the structure is a beautiful sight, and possibly the only thing you can take a picture of.
So, after all this what will I do now?
1. Study, study, study...and ask the all important question, "Why is this significant"
2. Break it down by wing and floor
3. Go at night (it is open until 9:45 on Wednesday and Fridays) and in the colder months to avoid the obnoxious tourists
4. Talk Nate into taking care of the baby when I go!
Friday, September 01, 2006
Stalking 101
I love Madonna. Love her.
Yesterday, I had to attend a "Spouse Breifing" to get general information on how to live in this city, the moment I was in the hallway I told Nate it was a complete waste of my morning. Nate had an hour and a half before he could take lunch, and it was such a lovely day out that I decided to wait for him. Then I remembered, Madonna was staying at the Hotel across from the park--and to think I was about to waste away the afternoon reading on a park bench.
Ruby and I headed over for the hotel. Eventually Madge had three mercedes parked in front for her "quick" exit. The size of the group of onlookers continued to grow, the size of the security detail grew, local police showed up for crowd control, paparazzi with camera lenses the like I have never seen perched on vespas were out in large numbers...my anticipation mounted, I knew I was about to see her, and not on a stage, or on a MTV interview, but in her full diva glory. I had a perfect view, but then the police decided to move all of us in that area...then I realized I have a badge to the building that would give me the best view in the house, and no one was allowed to stand in front of me now! So, abusing the privelages of my badge, I gained entry to a new point for stalking, and continued to wait. By this time, I had resorted to letting Ruby crawl around on the sidewalk to keep her entertained so I could wait for Madonna. Three hours later I was still there, her mercedes were still parked outside, the group was even larger than it had been, and I just couldn't wait anymore. She is a genius though, she had those cars parked and ready for her exit, her personal security detail ready for hours before she left. She generated so much attention before she left that old people would stop, ask what was happening, and then say "oh la la, Mah-doe-nah" (that was my french accent in writing) and wait. The crowd looked huge, but it had taken hours to create.
I ditched out. A few minutes later, from a cafe down the road, we heard the fans and the sirens.
Yesterday, I had to attend a "Spouse Breifing" to get general information on how to live in this city, the moment I was in the hallway I told Nate it was a complete waste of my morning. Nate had an hour and a half before he could take lunch, and it was such a lovely day out that I decided to wait for him. Then I remembered, Madonna was staying at the Hotel across from the park--and to think I was about to waste away the afternoon reading on a park bench.
Ruby and I headed over for the hotel. Eventually Madge had three mercedes parked in front for her "quick" exit. The size of the group of onlookers continued to grow, the size of the security detail grew, local police showed up for crowd control, paparazzi with camera lenses the like I have never seen perched on vespas were out in large numbers...my anticipation mounted, I knew I was about to see her, and not on a stage, or on a MTV interview, but in her full diva glory. I had a perfect view, but then the police decided to move all of us in that area...then I realized I have a badge to the building that would give me the best view in the house, and no one was allowed to stand in front of me now! So, abusing the privelages of my badge, I gained entry to a new point for stalking, and continued to wait. By this time, I had resorted to letting Ruby crawl around on the sidewalk to keep her entertained so I could wait for Madonna. Three hours later I was still there, her mercedes were still parked outside, the group was even larger than it had been, and I just couldn't wait anymore. She is a genius though, she had those cars parked and ready for her exit, her personal security detail ready for hours before she left. She generated so much attention before she left that old people would stop, ask what was happening, and then say "oh la la, Mah-doe-nah" (that was my french accent in writing) and wait. The crowd looked huge, but it had taken hours to create.
I ditched out. A few minutes later, from a cafe down the road, we heard the fans and the sirens.
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